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Tungsten‐doped diamond‐like carbon (W‐DLC) films were prepared by magnetron sputtering, followed by annealing in the temperature range of 100–500°C. The effects of the annealing treatment on the chemical compositions, mechanical properties and tribological behaviours of annealed W‐DLC films with a base oil were tested by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction and nanoindenter tests. The results indicated that increasing the annealing temperature led to a decrease in the thicknesses and hardness values of the W‐DLC films due to the graphitization and oxidation of the film surfaces. However, the structures of the W‐DLC films annealed at 500°C were destroyed. Under poly‐alpha olefin lubrication, when the annealing temperature was lower than 300°C, the tribological properties of the W‐DLC films were stable. This occurred because the graphitization of the sample surface was conducive to the removal of abrasive particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not all obstetric care facilities offer sufficient genetic counseling in Japan. When necessary, patients are referred to tertiary perinatal care centers for genetic counseling and further testing. Because each facility typically has an exclusive contract with a laboratory, the additional testing required may be performed at a different laboratory. With no reporting standards for normal chromosomal variants, differences between laboratories impede result interpretation, and clinical errors may occur. We present a case of a patient diagnosed with 46,XX,?dup (4)(p12p12) variant over two pregnancies. During the first pregnancy, the variant was determined to be a de novo, leading the parents to terminate the pregnancy. During the second pregnancy, further analysis revealed no 4p duplication, and we diagnosed as a normal variant, 4cenh+, inherited from the mother. Differences in reporting standards for a normal variant made evaluation of this patient difficult. Medical staff should be aware of this issue, and reporting standards should be standardized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is significant, but the underlying mechanism of action is not clear. Considering that glucose‐regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and caspase‐12 are major proteins participating in cell apoptosis, we investigated the effects of "adjusting internal organs and dredging channel" electroacupuncture therapy on GRP78 and caspase‐12 levels in streptozotocin (STZ)‐diabetic rats to elucidate the mechanism of action. Methods: Rats were first divided into two groups: one group was rendered diabetic with a single injection of 50 mg/kg STZ, whereas the other normal control group was injected with an equivalent volume of citrate buffer. The STZ‐diabetic rats were randomly divided into three groups: model control and electroacupuncture‐ and mecobalamin‐treated groups. After 12 weeks treatment, the therapeutic efficacy of electroacupuncture was assessed using sciatic nerves isolated from rats. In the electroacupuncture group, rats were treated by electroacupuncture for 20 minutes once daily for 6 days each week, with 1 day off, for 12 consecutive weeks. The selected acupressure points include bilateral acupressure points of BL13 (Fehu), BL20 (Pishu), BL23 (Shenshu), LI4 (Hegu), LR3 (faichong), ST36 (Zusanli), and SP6 (Sanyiniiao). Acupressure points were stimulated using a HuaTuo SDZ‐V Electric Acupuncture Therapy Apparatus. The acupressure points of BL13 and BL23, as well as SP6 and LR3, were connected on the same side with a dilatational wave of 3 Hz (frequency ratio of 1 : 5) to stimulate the parts of the body to the extent that could be tolerated by the rat. As for the mecobalamin‐treated groups, mecobalamin was administrated to rats intragastrically at a dose of 20 mg/kg once daily for 12 consecutive weeks. Immunofluorescence and western blot analysis were used to determine GRP78 and caspase‐12 levels in sciatic nerves. In addition, cell apoptosis in sciatic nerves was determined using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP‐digoxigenin nick end‐labeling (TUNEL) assay. Results: Electroacupuncture markedly reduced the pathological injury to sciatic nerves in STZ‐diabetic rats. Moreover, electroacupuncture significantly downregulated GRP78 and caspase‐12 and reduced cell apoptosis of sciatic nerves in DPN rats. Conclusions: Electroacupuncture improved DPN by downregulating GRP78 and caspase‐12 and reducing cell apoptosis of sciatic nerves in STZ‐diabetic rats, and further inhibited the occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum stress, thus preventing sciatic nerve injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]